cosmopolis

noun

cos·​mop·​o·​lis käz-ˈmä-pə-ləs How to pronounce cosmopolis (audio)
: a cosmopolitan city

Examples of cosmopolis in a Sentence

a sprawling cosmopolis where ambitious people from all over come to make their fortune
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Istanbul is a cosmopolis unlike any other—where the remains of former empires, the cultural influences of multi-ethnic communities, and contemporary Turkish identity all exist in delicate harmony. Feride Yalav-Heckeroth, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2022 While Istanbul and Cappadocia are more popular with tourists to Turkey, don't miss the chance to explore Izmir, which was once the country's most thriving cosmopolis. Lilit Marcus, CNN, 8 Oct. 2022 On the Volga a quasi-capital rose at Sarai, established by Batu around 1250, and grew into a cosmopolis of artisans, farmers, and merchants from as far away as Syria, Egypt, even Greece—so many that a New Sarai was founded upriver. Colin Thubron, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2021 For decades a symbol of all that was dead and dysfunctional in the ever-expanding cosmopolis, the river is undergoing its own rehabilitation, shedding some of its visible concrete. Alexandra Marshall, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2018

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, back-formation from cosmopolites

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cosmopolis was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near cosmopolis

Cite this Entry

“Cosmopolis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cosmopolis. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!